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Ministry Briefing: A New Resource for Pastors and Church Leaders

Bill Hybels is fond of saying that “leaders are readers.” I think we all instinctively know that this is true, and recognize our need to be constantly learning how to be better leaders. At the same time, ministry leaders are constantly in a time crunch as we lead meetings, meet with church members, preach, and care for our family. Add to that the sheer volume of content that is at our disposal, and it can be difficult to know where to start!

Every month Todd Rhoades and Matt Steen sift through thousands of newspaper articles, blog posts, studies, and stories to find those that are most helpful for ministry leaders. Each edition of Ministry Briefing is made up of executive summaries of over one hundred articles covering current events, trends, and helpful info for those who serve the church. So, what does this look like? Here are three examples:

Harvard Professor: America is Still a Very Religious Country: According to Harvard University professor, Robert Putnam, even though recent studies show that the number of Americans that claim no religious affiliation is at an all time high, religious commitments are “incredibly stronger than in most other advanced countries in the world. The average American is slightly more religious than the average Iranian, so we are a very religious country even today.” Source: Religion News Service

Marketing to Christians Aids in Les Miserables Success: Grace Hill Media, a company which does targeted marketing within the Christian community, has been credited with some of the success of the latest version of Les Miserables. Targeting those with a “bully pulpit”, founder Jonathan Bock explained a strategy that involved inviting influential Christians to private screenings in hopes that they will spread the word about the movie. Bock suggests that a movie this size would spend anywhere between $30 and $130 million on marketing, and campaigns like the ones he ran cost upward of seven figures. Source: CNN Belief Blog

Poll: Homosexual Behavior Gaining Moral Ground: A recent study by LifeWay Research finds that only 37% of those polled say that homosexuality is a sin. That’s down 7% from the 44% who called homosexual behavior a sin just last year. In total, 45% of those polled say that ‘homosexual behavior’ is not sinful. Also trending: the number of people who support marriage equality for gays and lesbians. That number now stands at 63%. Source: Religion Dispatches

Ministry Briefing is released during the first week of every month, and works for your Kindle, Nook, or pdf reader. Use the code edmondson to receive $3 off the February edition when you download it here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”